Calling one ``sanpnath'' and the other ``nagraj'', she said both the BJP andthe Congress were anti-Dalit and therefore not acceptable to her. Blamingboth for the demolition of the Babri Masjid, she denied any deal with theBJP. Saying she had never asked for Kalyan Singh's removal, she said:``Kalyan Singh is weakening the BJP in Uttar Pradesh. We need not doanything in this matter.''

With the BSP's abstention, the strength of the House is down to 536 (one RJDMP is in the US) and the Government needs 269 votes to win. At the end ofthe day, its tally stood at 268 (minus the Speaker's vote) -- still short ofthe magic figure, but close enough to winning to bring the smiles back tothe Treasury benches.

The trust vote is slated for 12 pm tomorrow and with both sides at 268, thebattle for numbers will reach a frenzied pitch tonight as rival camps makelast-minute efforts to woo MPs. Simultaneously, efforts are on from bothsides to pull off splits in vulnerable smaller parties and ensure strategicabsenteeism. The politics of ``Aya Ram, Gaya Ram'' was in full swing.

Today, however, the scales seemed to tip in the Government's favour and theupbeat mood in the ruling camp was in sharp contrast to the long faces inOpposition circles. The change came after the INLD's unexpected volte face.After categorically refusing to back the BJP yesterday, INLD leader OmPrakash Chautala did an about-turn this afternoon and announced that hisparty would vote in favour of the Government.

``Since the Opposition is unable to project a viable alternative and theCongress is again trying to come back to power....we don't want to push thecountry from the frying pan into the fire,'' Chautala declared at a jointpress conference with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, who isthe chief architect of Chutalla's change of heart. Then came the next boost:DMK leader Murasoli Maran's declaration of support. "We support Atalji andnot the mother of curruption (ref. to Jaylalita)," he told the loksabha.MPs of the BJP and its allies looked as if a great weight had been liftedfrom their shoulders.